Pitchside

Arsenal season-ticket holders’ disgust at £132 Bayern Munich tickets

Remember a story from around a month ago about the kind gesture Bayern Munich are making to fans travelling to London for the Champions League last-16 first-leg at Arsenal?

Here’s the link – go catch yourself up, if your memory is a little hazy amidst all of the Valentine’s Day horseplay.

So yes, Bayern feel the €75 (£62) being charged for tickets to the game at the Emirates is a tad harsh on the wallets on those fans already forking out on flights and accommodation for the voyage, and are covering €30 per fan out of the club’s own coffers.

Now compare and contrast that to a report in the Daily Mail that jaded Arsenal fans are opting to give the very same game a miss in increasingly large numbers because they are being charged as much as £132 for a ticket.

Yes – one hundred and thirty-two English pounds. More than twice the figure Bayern Munich felt was too much for their supporters to be coughing up.

Adding insult to injury is the fact that even Arsenal season-ticket holders, who spend the most in world football at as much as £2,000 for an annual league matches pass, are expected to fork out anywhere between the £62 and £132 for the visit of the European champions.

Steven Maxwell, who pays £1,995 for his gold-level season ticket, will miss the match after being quoted £117.98 for his usual seat.

He told the Mail: “I take no pleasure in doing this. It’s like fighting with a loved one.